mistranslation
noun
mis·trans·la·tion
ˌmis-tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən 
-tranz-
plural mistranslations
: a mistake in translating : an incorrect translation
… suffers from a number of repetitive mistranslations that leave readers with a misleading understanding …—
Lynn Ginsburg et al.
Lynn Ginsburg et al.Examples of mistranslation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Still another composition features a Google Translate interpretation of an essay Vara wrote in Spanish, which contains both mistranslations and stretches where the software turned flawed Spanish into grammatical English.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
My use of 'lynched' was a mistranslation from Hebrew (English isn't my first language).
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
The term refried is actually a mistranslation from the Spanish frijoles refrito.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 16 Jan. 2025
Because these challenges will always persist, broadcasters need to ensure that the provider is continually training its base model to minimize such mistranslations.
—Vinayak S., Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Controversies can hinge on the exact meaning of a single phrase, on possible mistranslations from the Japanese original (was the Great Tree meant to be distinct from the Erdtree, or not?), on subtle details of costume and statuary.
—Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Still, creators will need to have faith that TikTok’s new dubbing tools will be accurate enough to avoid embarrassing mistranslation blunders.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 17 June 2024
In fact, Shatz thinks this word—which does have a whiff of ethnic cleansing—is a mistranslation.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
But that did nothing to stop Ms. Greene from continuing to forge ahead with her measure, which quotes the mistranslation.
—Annie Karni, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
My use of 'lynched' was a mistranslation from Hebrew (English isn't my first language).
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
The term refried is actually a mistranslation from the Spanish frijoles refrito.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 16 Jan. 2025
Because these challenges will always persist, broadcasters need to ensure that the provider is continually training its base model to minimize such mistranslations.
—Vinayak S., Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Controversies can hinge on the exact meaning of a single phrase, on possible mistranslations from the Japanese original (was the Great Tree meant to be distinct from the Erdtree, or not?), on subtle details of costume and statuary.
—Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Still, creators will need to have faith that TikTok’s new dubbing tools will be accurate enough to avoid embarrassing mistranslation blunders.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 17 June 2024
In fact, Shatz thinks this word—which does have a whiff of ethnic cleansing—is a mistranslation.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
But that did nothing to stop Ms. Greene from continuing to forge ahead with her measure, which quotes the mistranslation.
—Annie Karni, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Mistranslation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistranslation. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share